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Policy Submissions

Inquiry on “Small to medium sized enterprises”: Engineering the future comments to the House of Lords Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Select Committee.

Abstract Exporting firms contribute significantly to the overall productivity and potential of the economy. The more UK firms exporting intensively the better off the UK economy would be. Not all SMEs are in a position to export, various factors inhibit their ability to export and other forms of support are required to get such SMEs to an ‘export ready’ stage. Government support in helping SMEs to export is fragmented across departments, regional government, chambers of commerce, NGOs, trade associations and others. This is confusing to overseas customers and organisations looking to import from UK suppliers. On the whole, more government intervention is not needed for a boost in SME exports. What is needed is a sharper focus, more subject specialists working in both UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) (in the UK and overseas) and other export supporting businesses (such as banks), a more detailed knowledge base of the market dynamics of other countries and wider publicity and awareness of the role of UKTI.

Submission Details Submitted on 14 September 2012 to House of Lords Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Select Committee